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This study examines the impact of a collaborative training model on teacher candidates' performance and the alignment of cooperating teachers' practice with edTPA expectations.
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Following the Leader: A collaborative training model to develop and sustain best practices for teacher candidates Scott Kissau, PhD, University of North Carolina at Charlotte Laura Hart, EdD, University of North Carolina at Charlotte Annual Conference of the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education Las Vegas, NV February, 2016
Teacher & Teacher Candidate Assessment • Traditional assessments of teacher knowledge are being replaced by evidence of teaching effectiveness • Similar transformation in teacher prep programs • Performance-based assessments that provide data-based evidence that candidates are ready to teach
Performance-based assessment • Measures teacher candidate ability: • Plan • Instruct • Assess student learning • Use best practices • Have positive impact on student learning • 27 different content areas (SCALE, 2013) • 34 states and the District of Columbia (AACTE, 2014),
Cooperating Teacher (CT) • Colleges of Education must ensure high quality internship experiences • Influential role of the Cooperating Teachers (CT) • Teacher candidates often emulate the strategies modeled by their CT (Kissau, 2014) • Placement of teacher candidates with CTs that model best practices is often challenging and flawed (Clarke, Triggs, & Nielsen, 2014)
Literature Review edTPA is a high stakes assessment spreading across the U.S. Teacher candidates need support to successfully complete it. Cooperating Teachers a critical source of support Selection and training of CTs is flawed Lack of related research
Research Questions To what extent are the edTPA-specific vocabulary and domains addressed in the CT training modeled in the CT’s classroom practice (how did the training affect the CT’s practice)? To what extent does the CT training affect the performance of student-teachers during the internship experience?
Mixed Methodology • Quantitative data • Survey • classroom observation instrument • edTPA test scores • Qualitative data • Semi-structured interviews
Cooperating Teachers • 15 CTs for Fall 2015/Spring 2016 participated in training • Variety of content areas and degrees of experience • 3 males/12 females • Training • Familiarized with expectations of edTPA • Familiarized with logistical details (video-taping, consent) • Familiarized with content-specific requirements • Reviewed content-specific best practices • Addressed how CTs may support interns • Control group of CTs
Teacher Candidates • Teacher candidates completing internship in Fall 2015/Spring 2016 • Aspiring middle or high school teachers, or K-12 ESL or foreign language teachers • Completed online survey to investigate impact of the CT training in CT practice • More data to come
Classroom Observation Tool • Used to investigate how the training affected CT practice • 45-90 minute observation sessions were conducted in the classroom of 12 CTs • 6 of the CTs received training • 6 did not receive training • CT use of the edTPA-specific vocabulary and teaching practices addressed in the training were noted
Scoring Key: 1= The teaching/planning behavior does not clearly align with edTPA expectations. 2= The teaching/planning behavior is somewhat aligned with edTPA expectations. 3= The teaching/planning behavior clearly aligns with edTPA expectations.
Survey • Used to investigate how the training affected CT practice • Data collected from an online survey • Completed by teacher candidates at end of internship • Gauged their perception of CT use of edTPA-specific vocabulary and teaching strategies
SD=Strongly Disagree D=Disagree N=Neutral A=Agree SA=Strongly Agree
Interviews • Qualitative data were also collected via interviews to address the first research question • Involved all CTs who participated in the classroom observations • CTs were asked to describe: • how they supported their intern • what further support might they have provided • how the College of Education could assist them in supporting their interns
edTPA • Used to measure the effect the project had on teacher candidate performance during the internship • All teacher candidates (with and without a trained CT) completed the edTPA assignment during their internship • Submitted evidence was reviewed by trained Pearson scorers
Data Analysis Total mean scores for classroom observation and surveys were compared between CTs who had and who had not completed edTPA training Interview data were analyzed looking for emergent themes to explain quantitative findings edTPA scores of the two groups of interns were compared looking at both total scores and individual tasks
Research Question #1 To what extent are the edTPA-specific vocabulary and domains addressed in the CT training modeled in the CT’s classroom practice (how did the training affect the CT’s practice)?
How Did They Look?: Observation Instrument - Planning Note – No significant differences found between groups with respect to classroom teaching observations.
What Did They Say?: Interviews Trained CT UNTRAINED CT • Familiar with project • Assisted throughout development of assignment • Greatest support in planning phase (Task 1) • Least comfortable with assessment (Task 3) • Thankful for training • Wanted for US visits • Less specific/more generic feedback (topic of unit, classroom management) • Feedback primarily on finished product • Spent a lot of time trying to “figure out” what edTPA was all about • Wanted more US visits • Placed greater responsibility on ST
Research Question #2 To what extent does the CT training affect the performance of student-teachers during the internship experience?
Discussion • Possible means of further supporting teacher candidates • Trained CTs • Gave more familiar with project • Gave more specific feedback • Showed greater initiative in providing candidate feedback • Interns of trained CTs • Felt more supported (Task 1) • Stronger performance on Tasks 1 and 3 • Potential to change ways in which CTs are chosen/prepared • Trained CTs critical when working with weaker teacher candidates • Critical role played by US • Address CAEP Standard 2 by developing strategic P-12 partnerships
Implications and Applications Cooperating Teachers want training Greater attention to instruction and assessment Provide alternate/multiple training sessions Incorporate training into mandatory CT orientations University supervisors also need edTPA training Collaboration with Office of Field Experiences Arrange CT interviews at time of classroom observation